Cost of Living Comparison Between Honiara and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Honiara and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,120 per month in Honiara vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,756 per month in Honiara vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,393 per month in Honiara vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Honiara costs about 70% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Honiara sits 59% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.87 SBD 47.33

$4.55 ฿153

29.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.8 SBD 418

$46.18 ฿1,554

12.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.90 SBD 96.0

$8.84 ฿298

34.62%

Cappuccino

$3.10 SBD 25.01

$3.06 ฿103

1.31%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 SBD 11.15

$0.73 ฿24.42

89.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 SBD 8.32

$0.40 ฿13.40

157.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 SBD 14.86

$2.43 ฿81.8

-24.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 SBD 29.50

$3.78 ฿127

-3.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.64 SBD 21.30

$2.26 ฿76.0

16.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 SBD 11.88

$1.81 ฿60.9

-18.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 SBD 12.58

$2.25 ฿75.8

-30.67%

Eggs

$5.29 SBD 42.72

$2.25 ฿75.6

135.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.95 SBD 31.90

$19.51 ฿656

-79.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 SBD 67.3

$3.65 ฿123

128.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.79 SBD 119

$13.05 ฿439

13.33%

Apples (1kg)

$7.59 SBD 61.3

$3.23 ฿109

134.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 SBD 21.17

$1.62 ฿54.4

61.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.53 SBD 60.8

$2.38 ฿80.2

216.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.34 SBD 26.97

$2.03 ฿68.2

64.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 SBD 16.19

$1.53 ฿51.6

31.37%

Onion (1kg)

$3.27 SBD 26.35

$1.50 ฿50.5

118.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 SBD 10.77

$0.98 ฿32.93

35.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 SBD 8.97

$0.52 ฿17.40

113.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.89 SBD 31.36

$4.44 ฿149

-12.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.36 SBD 83.6

$18.32 ฿616

-43.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 SBD 14.59

$1.86 ฿62.7

-2.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 SBD 25.81

$2.68 ฿90.2

19.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 SBD 4.01

$1.41 ฿47.49

-64.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.80 SBD 192

$11.70 ฿394

103.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 SBD 9.92

$3.11 ฿105

-60.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 SBD 9.42

$1.04 ฿35.08

12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.89 SBD 95.9

$14.11 ฿475

-15.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 SBD 10.49

$1.31 ฿44.13

-0.76%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.8K ฿936.0K

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$33.2K ฿1.1M

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$705 SBD 5,688

$122 ฿4,120

475.74%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$26.04 SBD 210

$13.59 ฿457

91.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.2 SBD 696

$18.70 ฿629

361.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.16 SBD 49.67

$16.98 ฿572

-63.72%

Cinema Ticket

$3.23 SBD 26.09

$9.07 ฿305

-64.39%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$95.3 SBD 769

$706 ฿23.8K

-86.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,775 SBD 22.4K

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-82.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.99 SBD 161

$58.6 ฿1,970

-65.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$89.1 SBD 719

$35.36 ฿1,190

152.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.7 SBD 619

$115 ฿3,885

-33.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 SBD 618

$83.7 ฿2,818

-8.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$532 SBD 4,290

$626 ฿21.1K

-15.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$627 SBD 5,056

$445 ฿15.0K

40.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,217 SBD 9,822

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-40.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$843 SBD 6,803

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-43.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$87.3K SBD 704.2K

$3,483 ฿117.2K

2406.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$61.9K SBD 499.1K

$2,577 ฿86.7K

2300.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$692 SBD 5,584

$500 ฿16.8K

38.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.67

5.33

194.00%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Honiara: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $532 in Honiara versus $626 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 38% higher in Honiara, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Honiara versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $334 vs $289 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Honiara vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,120 in Honiara, $1,250 in Phuket – roughly 70% apart. Honiara costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,180 per month in Honiara and $1,875 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Honiara, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Honiara and $46.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,250, than in Honiara at $2,120. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Honiara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,250 in Phuket to $2,120 in Honiara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Honiara makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.